Tag: Owen Freeman

Three stars in Iowa basketball’s romp over Rider

Three stars from Iowa basketball’s romp over Rider.

Following a lopsided 83-58 victory versus Rider (3-2) on Tuesday night from Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Iowa men’s basketball improved its overall record to 5-0 on the campaign.

The Hawkeyes established a dominant defensive presence and efficient scoring from the opening tip, which led to a comfortable 40-26 halftime lead. Iowa’s tenacious defense forced 10 turnovers by the Broncs, leading to 13 points off those takeaways in the opening half.

The second half continued Iowa’s smothering control of the game as the Hawkeyes would add 43 more points off 16-of-33 shooting from the field, including 5-for-9 from 3-point territory. The Hawkeyes would again force 10 Broncs turnovers, leading to seven more points off takeaways.

As a team, the Hawkeyes shot 30-of-64 (46.9%) from the field, including 8-of-22 (36.4%) from beyond the arc. Iowa also converted on 15-of-21 (71.4%) free throw attempts.

With another dominant performance, below are the three stars whose efforts guided the Hawkeyes to victory.

Payton Sandfort

Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Senior forward Payton Sandfort emerged in the second half to help widen the already comfortable lead for the Hawkeyes by finishing the night with 22 points on 9-of-16 shooting, including 2-of-7 from deep. He also had six rebounds, three assists, one block, and one steal in the contest.

While this level of production from Sandfort is somewhat expected, considering the senior is regarded as one of the primary offensive drivers of the team, it is still very well appreciated no matter the opponent.

Owen Freeman

Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Owen Freeman once again had an impressive showing on Tuesday night as he made 7-of-11 field goals en route to 19 points. The sophomore forward also had five rebounds, two assists, and two blocks to add to his stat line. 

Freeman’s ability to dominate in the paint is clearly paying dividends for the Hawkeyes as 44 of Iowa’s 83 total points were generated from that area.

With conference play looming, Freeman’s recent play is exactly what head coach Fran McCaffery is looking for from the reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Year.

Drew Thelwell

Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Coming off a clutch late-game performance against Washington State, Thelwell continued his impactful play off the bench on Tuesday night by recording seven assists and five steals in his 27 minutes of game time.

His stellar play defensively and as a facilitator for the offense allowed the Hawkeyes to establish their control of the game from start to finish.

Even though Thelwell scored only two points off 1-of-3 shooting from the field, his versatility in a sixth-man role has proven vital to the Hawkeyes’ recent success.

Iowa returns to action on Nov. 22, when the team travels to Kansas City, Mo., for the NABC Hall of Fame Classic game against Utah State (4-0).

The game will begin at 7 p.m. CT from the T-Mobile Center. It will be televised on the Big Ten Network and on the Hawkeye Radio Network.\

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Three stars of Iowa men’s basketball’s gritty 76-66 win vs. Washington State

Three stars from Iowa basketball’s Friday night win over Wazzu.

The Iowa Hawkeyes men’s basketball team (4-0) won their first true challenge of the season on Friday vs. Washington State (3-1) when they defeated the Cougars 76-66 from Moline, Ill., as part of the John Deere Quad Cities Hoops Showdown at Vibrant Arena.

While the game ended with a 10-point differential, most of the game was highly contested as both sides displayed spirited efforts on the court.

Both Iowa and Washington State had a relatively poor shooting night as the Hawkeyes shot 25-for-60 (41.7%) from the field and 8-for-25 from deep, which was only slightly higher than the Cougars’ 26-for-66 (39.4%) and 5-for-28 3-point mark.

For Iowa, the Hawkeyes’ tenacious defense truly willed the team to victory vs. Washington State by forcing a total of ten steals and five blocks, many of which came during critical junctures of the game.

Considering the total team effort from Iowa, below are the three stars that allowed the Hawkeyes to improve to 4-0 on the campaign.

Owen Freeman

Friday’s game was not only a homecoming for the Moline, Ill., native, but also a birthday celebration as the sophomore celebrated his 20th birthday by leading the team with 21 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the field while collecting 11 rebounds. Freeman’s double-double is also the sixth of his career at Iowa.

Freeman, who won an Illinois High School Association (IHSA) basketball title alongside teammate Brock Harding in 2023, was able to be a spark plug for the Hawkeyes in his 29 minutes for what was an otherwise difficult shooting night for the team.

Drew Thelwell

While not a large part of the scoresheet with only seven points on 2-of-4 shooting in 19 minutes, Thewell’s two clutch 3-pointers late in the fourth quarter jumpstarted a 16-7 Hawkeyes run in the final 3:55.

Thelwell also contributed to the Hawkeyes’ defensive effort by adding three steals and one block to the team’s total.

The performance of the graduate transfer from Morehead State is exactly what head coach Fran McCaffery will need moving forward from his bench, especially with conference play starting later this month.

Iowa Fans

Considering Friday’s game was the first time Iowa has played in Moline since 1998, the large contingent of Hawkeye fans that packed Vibrant Arena truly spurred the team to victory, especially late in the game.

With Moline roughly 61 miles from Iowa City, Iowa fans flocking to watch the Hawkeyes made the game almost feel like a second home court.

As the Western Illinois area has proved to be a valuable recruiting ground for Iowa recently, the turnout of 8,488 also aids the Hawkeyes’ efforts on the recruiting trail.

Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

Iowa’s next game will be Nov. 19, when the Hawkeyes return to Carver-Hawkeye Arena for a 7 p.m. CT tipoff vs. the Rider Broncs (3-1).

The game will be broadcast on BTN+ (paid subscription required) and will also be available on radio through the Hawkeyes Radio Network.

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Owen Freeman snags ninth Big Ten Freshman of the Week award

For the ninth time this season, Iowa forward Owen Freeman has been named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week.

For the second week in a row and for the ninth time this season, Iowa forward Owen Freeman has been named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week.

Freeman averaged 12.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, 3.5 blocked shots and 3.0 assists per game as the Hawkeyes split a pair of games at Maryland and versus No. 21 Wisconsin.

In Iowa’s 78-66 loss at Maryland, Freeman scored five points, grabbed eight rebounds and blocked two shots. Then, the 6-foot-10, 230 pound freshman big was a key figure in the Hawkeyes’ 88-86 overtime win over Wisconsin.

Freeman was a perfect 6-for-6 from the floor and 8-of-11 from the free throw line en route to 20 points. The Moline, Ill., native registered his fifth double-double of the season, pulling down 12 rebounds.

Freeman also dished out six assists, blocked four shots and came away with two steals.

Freeman is just the third major conference freshman since 2000 with 20 or more points, 10-plus rebounds, five-plus assists and four or more blocks. Per Iowa’s associate director of strategic communications James Allan, Freeman’s 20 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and four blocks versus the Badgers is the only performance of its kind nationally this season. It’s one of eight such games since the 2010-11 season.

“He’s a beast,” Iowa senior guard Tony Perkins said of Freeman. “I told him every time he’d get fouled, get a rebound or get a bucket, ‘You are a beast. Act like it’. That’s the type of player he is. He goes for the ball, he can score, hit free throws, dunk on somebody. He works hard. He’s also got me here that’s here to tell him how good of a player he is.”

Iowa head men’s basketball coach Fran McCaffery has been saying all along that Freeman brings a unique skillset to the Hawkeyes.

“I’ve been saying from the beginning that the thing that makes him unique is that he has a bag. A lot of times you don’t expect that from your 6’10” center. I’ve been encouraging him all year to be that guy. Attack in the open floor, spin, shot-fake, rip and drive. I think the next phase in his game is that he’ll be shooting pull-up jumpers out of that.

“His ability to affect the game at both ends, that’s how we won. He was blocking shots, he’s rebounding the ball, starting our break, giving others an opportunity to make plays and he did it today staying out of foul trouble, so he’s learning,” McCaffery said.

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Owen Freeman collects seventh Big Ten Freshman of the Week honor

Owen Freeman is at it again, winning his seventh Big Ten Freshman of the Week award.

Owen Freeman has enjoyed a marvelous freshman campaign for the Iowa Hawkeyes.

It continued last week with strong performances in Iowa’s 69-67 loss versus Maryland and in the Hawkeyes’ 88-78 win at Michigan.

Freeman scored 14 points and grabbed nine rebounds with an assist and a block on 6-of-11 shooting versus the Terps. Then, on Saturday in Ann Arbor, Mich., Freeman scored 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting with nine rebounds, three blocks and one assist.

In the two games combined, Freeman averaged 14.5 points, nine rebounds and two blocks per game while shooting 55% from the field and 87.5% from the free throw line.

As a result of his terrific play, the 6-foot-10 forward from Moline, Ill., collected his seventh Big Ten Freshman of the Week award this season.

Freeman also captured the Big Ten Freshman of the Week award on Nov. 13, Nov. 20, Dec. 4, Dec. 18, Jan. 8 and Jan. 15.

Freeman’s seventh Big Ten Freshman of the Week honor is now tied for the second-most in a single season in league history. It’s the most since Nebraska‘s Bryce McGowens tallied seven during the 2021-22 season.

Through the first 20 games of his career, Freeman is averaging 11.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 64.3% from the floor and 67.8% from the free throw line.

His numbers for points (224), rebounds (123), blocks (34) and double-doubles (3) rank atop the Big Ten among freshmen. Freeman’s 20 steals are tied for first in the Big Ten and his 64.3% field goal shooting ranks second. The Illinois native’s 34 blocks also rank as the third-most nationally among freshmen.

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Owen Freeman wins sixth Big Ten Freshman of the Week award

Owen Freeman was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week for the sixth time this season.

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For the sixth time this season, Freeman has been named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week. After winning it for the fifth time last week, the Moline, Ill., native stepped his performance up to another level for the Hawkeyes.

He earned his third double-double of the season this week while setting a new career-high 22 points in the Hawkeyes’ 94-76 win over Nebraska. The three double-doubles are the most by a Hawkeye freshman since Luka Garza during the 2017-18 campaign.

Freeman has been the Big Ten’s top freshman this season, leading the conference in points (177), rebounds (95) and blocks (30), while ranking second in steals (18) and field goal percentage (.658). His 30 blocks are tied for the most in the nation by a freshman.

Freeman’s six Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors are the ninth-most in league history. They are the most accolades since Nebraska’s Bryce McGowens was honored seven times during the 2021-22 season, so he’s fast approaching some new history for the conference.

As Freeman has made his presence more known in recent weeks, it’s not a shock that the Hawkeyes are starting to figure it out on the court. They have won five of their last six, that lone defeat coming on the road in a close contest at No. 8 Wisconsin.

The Hawkeyes have a tough week ahead of them, facing 12-4 Minnesota before hosting No. 2 Purdue on Saturday.

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Owen Freeman named Big Ten Freshman of the Week yet again

For the fifth time in his young career, Iowa big man Owen Freeman has been named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week.

Once again, Iowa center Owen Freeman has been named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week. This is the big man’s fifth time receiving the award this season after the league announced its weekly awards on Monday.

The Moline, Ill., native earned the distinction after averaging 14.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks, while shooting 75% from the field and 83.3% from the charity stripe during two Big Ten games against No. 21 Wisconsin and Rutgers.

Against the Badgers, Freeman secured his second double-double of the season, becoming the first Hawkeye freshman to record multiple double-doubles since Luka Garza. Not bad company to be with.

With a career-high 37 minutes, Freeman finished with 14 points, shooting a cool 7-of-9 from the field. He rejected three shots and grabbed a career-high 13 rebounds.

In the win over Rutgers, Freeman scored 15 points, adding two blocks to move into the top eight in program history by an Iowa freshman.

There was a lot of hype surrounding the Illinois native following a stellar preseason, and he has so far lived up to his top billing. Through his first 15 collegiate games, Freeman has been the top freshman in the conference, leading the league in points (155), rebounds (85) and blocks (30), while ranking second in steals (17) and field goal percentage (.633).

Just days into the new year, Freeman is already etching himself into Big Ten history. His five Big Ten Freshman of the Week awards are tied for the ninth-most in league history. They are the most accolades since Nebraska’s Bryce McGowens was honored seven times during the 2021-22 season.

It is obvious that Freeman is a big-time talent, a presence on the interior that Iowa has been desperately looking for this year. The Hawkeyes have showcased some great bigs in school history, from Luka Garza to Filip Rebraca last year. Just tapping into his potential, Owen Freeman appears to be the next in line for that throne.

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Takeaways from Iowa basketball’s foreign thumping of Paris All-Stars

Iowa men’s basketball got its overseas stay started with a 123-77 blowout of the Paris All-Stars. What are the takeaways for the Hawkeyes?

The Iowa women were not the only basketball team to travel to Europe this week. While Caitlin Clark and Co. were busy crushing it in Italy, the men started off their European tour in Paris, France. Iowa basketball opened up their foreign tour with a 123-77 victory over the Paris All-Stars.

All 11 Hawkeyes scored in the blowout win, with a few notable performers leading the way. The Hawkeyes worked through some issues early on, and head coach Fran McCaffery was able to get a good first impression of his young squad early in August.

While the victory is great to see, no matter who the opponent is, the performance is really what matters here. This early into the preseason, this was a great chance to get our first takeaways of the new team. Here is the recap from the 123-77 victory over the Paris All-Stars.

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Iowa Hawkeye hoops signees track down Moline’s first-ever state title

A pair of Iowa basketball signees, Brock Harding and Owen Freeman, brought Moline its first-ever state championship.

A pair of Iowa Hawkeyes basketball signees brought Moline to a place it has never gone before. The Maroons are Class 4A state champions in Illinois.

Moline hadn’t played for the state championship since a runner-up finish in the 1951 season. Before that, Moline registered fourth place finishes in 1934, 1935, 1945 and a third place finish in 1940.

Now, thanks to Iowa signees Brock Harding and Owen Freeman, Moline has risen above the rest. Moline (35-3) toppled Benet Academy, 59-42, to capture the school’s first state championship from inside the State Farm Center at the University of Illinois.

Harding led the way, scoring 28 points. Freeman added six points and nine rebounds for the Maroons en route to the crown.

“It still doesn’t feel real. People told me teams not from Chicago or the ‘burbs don’t win it. We came here and shut them all up,” Harding told the Chicago Sun Times afterwards.

Freeman, a 6-foot-10 forward, joined Moline this offseason. He transferred in  from Bradley-Bourbonnais and brought state title hopes and expectations with him.

“It’s so special to bring the championship back to a town like Moline. The community has been great. I can’t wait to celebrate,” Freeman said.

The pair each signed with Iowa back in November alongside forward Pryce Sandfort.

Here’s some of the reaction to the state championship. Plus, another look at the pair’s recruiting profile.

2023 4-star small forward Pryce Sandfort commits to Iowa Hawkeyes basketball

Iowa men’s basketball’s 2023 recruiting class received a jolt, earning a commitment from four-star small forward Pryce Sandfort.

Iowa men’s basketball head coach Fran McCaffery and his staff landed one of their top targets in the 2023 class. Pryce Sandfort out of Waukee Northwest High School in Iowa committed to the Hawkeyes.

With the Sandfort commitment, Iowa now has three pledges in its 2023 class.

According to On3, the 6-foot-7, 190 pound Sandfort is the nation’s No. 99 player, the No. 22 small forward and the No. 2 player from Iowa in the 2023 class. On3 also has Sandfort ranked as a four-star commit.

Meanwhile, ESPN, Rivals and 247Sports all rate Sandfort as a three-star prospect. 247Sports ranks Sandfort as the nation’s No. 135 player, the No. 29 small forward and the No. 2 player from Iowa. Rivals regards Sandfort as the No. 135 player nationally and the No. 37 small forward. Lastly, ESPN has Sandfort as the No. 39 power forward and the No. 2 player from Iowa.

Sandfort chose the Hawkeyes over offers from Clemson, Drake, Davidson, Nebraska, Seton Hall and Washington State. The Waukee native was also receiving interest from Gonzaga, Iowa State and Wake Forest.

Sandfort caught up with HawkeyeReport’s Blair Sanderson of Rivals to share why he committed to Iowa.

“Before my visit, I was talking to my parents and I was telling them there is no way I’ll commit after it. I wanted to take a lot of visits and decide after that. But on the visit, it just felt like home. I didn’t want to be anywhere else or visit anywhere else. I fell in love with the campus and the vision that coach Fran (McCaffery) and coach (Matt) Gatens had for me. Also, I had a great time hanging out with the guys,” Sandfort told Sanderson.

He also liked how the staff envisioned his future in Iowa City.

“They see me fitting in perfectly with how they want to play. Playing fast, shooting a lot of threes, all of that. They see me playing the 1-3 or 4. Fran has told me before, he sees me coming in as a freshman and making 60 threes and having a big role right away. Obviously, it’s all up to me and how hard I work,” Sandfort told Rivals.

It’s a huge get for the Hawkeyes. Sandfort, the younger brother of current Hawkeye Payton Sandfort, joins Owen Freeman and Brock Harding as the third commit in Iowa’s 2023 class.

Here’s a look at Pryce Sandfort’s junior season highlights courtesy of QuadVisual on YouTube.

2023 PG Brock Harding commits to the Iowa Hawkeyes, joins teammate Owen Freeman

Point guard Brock Harding out of Moline High School committed to the Iowa Hawkeyes, becoming the second pledge in the 2023 class.

Iowa men’s basketball is having one heck of a day. Several hours after the Hawkeyes picked up a commitment from class of 2024 power forward Cooper Koch, Iowa has another in the form of 2023 point guard Brock Harding.

The 6-foot, 155 pound point guard committed to Iowa after earning his offer just three days ago. Harding is teammates at Moline High School with now fellow Hawkeye commit Owen Freeman. Freeman is a 6-foot-10, 220 pound center that’s rated as a three-star by 247Sports.

Harding is also a three-star recruit according to 247Sports. According to the recruiting experts at 247Sports, Harding is the nation’s No. 33 point guard and the No. 7 player from Illinois in the 2023 class.

On3 also lists Harding as a three-star commit. In the On3 consensus rankings, Harding is regarded as the nation’s No. 163 player overall, the No. 27 point guard and the No. 5 player from Illinois.

Harding chose the Hawkeyes over offers from Appalachian State, Bradley, Cal Poly, Colorado State, Drake, Eastern Illinois, Illinois State, Illinois-Chicago, IPFW, Loyola (Chi.), Radford, Rice, Saint Louis, Southeast Missouri State, Southern Illinois and Western Illinois.

After receiving his offer from Iowa on June 20, Harding spoke with HawkeyeInsider’s Sean Bock to discuss what his primary recruiter at Iowa, former assistant coach Kirk Speraw, liked about his game.

“When Speraw saw me in the winter, he liked that I could pass, dribble, and shoot. He liked that I was under control with the ball. I was quick, but never too quick, where I couldn’t control myself. I did a great job of controlling the game, talking, and being the true point guard. That’s something that they wanted whether it be me or someone else in a different class. That’s something they think they could see me doing there,” Harding told HawkeyeInsider.

Iowa’s new assistant coach Matt Gatens liked Harding enough to extend the offer and it’s clear that Harding sees himself fitting in nicely with the Hawkeyes.

“I like that they have five guys on the court that can score at all times. They play up and down and get shots up. That’s somewhere where I can really affect the game is going up and down, and not just playing the half-court game. I’m really good in the full court with creating stuff for myself and others, and I feel like they do that with all five guys,” Harding said to HawkeyeInsider.

As evidenced in his AAU highlights below from Courtside Films on YouTube, Harding has terrific handles, excellent court vision and a pretty jumper. Here’s a look at Harding’s AAU highlights with MidPro Academy and his full recruiting profile.